John Gill Commentary 2 Kings 2

And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah
into heaven by a whirlwind
Thereby lifting him up from the earth, and which, as it was the purpose and will of God, Elijah had notice of, as appears by his motions to different places, under a divine direction:

that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal ,
where it seems they met, a place where the Israelites first pitched when they came over Jordan, and where the tabernacle was for some time, and was famous for religious services, see (Joshua 4:19) (5:9) .

And Elijah said unto Elisha, tarry here, I pray you
Seemingly unwilling he should go with him, and be present at his assumption; which was either out of modesty, not affecting the spread of the honour and glory to be conferred upon him; or to prevent the grief of Elisha at his departure, or to try whether Elisha knew any thing of it, and what affection he had for him:

for the Lord has sent me to Bethel ;
to give some comfort and some instruction and advice to the college of prophets there:

and Elisha said unto him, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I
will not leave you ;
being determined to see the last of him, and to have the benefit of his company and conversation, his heavenly discourse, and instruction from him as long as he could, and in hope of receiving a blessing from him at parting:

so they went down to Bethel ;
together, which, according to Bunting {h}, was six miles.

FOOTNOTES:

• F8: Travels p. 205.

And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel
Or the disciples of them, as the Targum; here, though a place where one of Jeroboam's calves was set up, was a school of the prophets, perhaps founded by Elijah as a nursery for religion, and a check upon the idolatry of the times:

came forth to Elisha; out of their college: and said unto him, do you know
that the Lord will take away your master from your head today ?
who was, as Abarbinel observes, the crown and glory of his head; or else this is said, as generally thought, in allusion to disciples sitting at the feet of their masters, and so they at the head of them; the rapture of Elijah was by a spirit of prophecy revealed unto them:

and he said, yes, I know it ;
being revealed to him in the same way:

hold your peace :
not caring to continue any discourse with them on the subject, that his thoughts, which were intent upon it, might not be interrupted, and that his master might not know that he knew of it, and lest he should be snatched away from him, and he not see him, while discoursing with them.

And Elijah said to him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray you
At Bethel:

for the Lord has sent me to Jericho ;
to the school of the prophets there, to strengthen, encourage, and advise them:

and he said, as the lord liveth ,
&c; using the same form of oath as before:

so they came to Jericho ;
together, which, as the above writer says ^F9 , was four miles from Bethel.

FOOTNOTES:

• F9: Travels p. 205.

And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho
For though this place was lately rebuilt under a curse to the builder, yet was blessed with a school of the prophets: whose disciples came to Elisha, and said unto him; as in (2 Kings 2:3) and to whom he made the same reply.